Results from a three-year evaluation of parents' knowledge/attitudes towards mandated school-based health initiatives in Mississippi (original) (raw)

Abstract

Background: Implementing effective school-based health initiatives has become ever more urgent due to climbing childhood obesity rates in the US. With a childhood obesity rate of 22%, Mississippi ranks first in the nation in obesity among children ages 10-17. In response to Mississippi's childhood obesity rate, the state legislature passed the Mississippi Healthy Students Act of 2007 (MHSA), which centers on a number of school-based health initiatives to address childhood obesity, including promotion of physical activity, sound nutrition, and sound health education in public schools. Methodology: From 2009-2012, annual evaluations of MHSA have been conducted among four key stakeholder groups, including parents. We present the 2009-2011 results from the state-wide survey of a randomized sample of parents (N>3,600 per year) to examine their: (1) knowledge/attitudes towards MHSA; (2) knowledge/attitudes/behaviors that influence children's health; and (3) perceived overweight...

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